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12003年6月四级试题PartIIReadingComprehension(35minutes)PassageOneQuestions21to25arebasedonthefollowingpassage:Onaverage,Americankidsages3to12spent29hoursaweekinschool,eighthoursmorethantheydidin1981.Theyalsodidmorehouseholdworkandparticipatedinmoreofsuchorganizedactivitiesassoccerandballet(芭蕾舞).Involvementinsports,inparticular,rosealmost50%from1981to1997:boysnowspendanaverageoffourhoursaweekplayingsports;girlsloghalfthattime.Allinall,however,children’sleisuretimedroppedfrom40%ofthedayin1981to25%.“Childrenareaffectedbythesametimecrunch(危机)thataffectstheirparents,”saysSandraHofferth,whoheadedtherecentstudyofchildren’stimetable.Achiefreason,shesays,isthatmoremothersareworkingoutsidethehome.(Nevertheless,childreninbothdouble-incomeand“malebreadwinner”householdsspentcomparablemountsoftimeinteractingwiththeirparents,19hoursand22hoursrespectively.Incontrast,childrenspentonly9hourswiththeirsinglemothers.)Allworkandnoplaycouldmakeforsomeverymessed-upkids.“Playisthemostpowerfulwayachildexplorestheworldandlearnsabouthimself,”saysT.BerryBrazelton,professoratHarvardMedicalSchool.Unstructuredplayencouragesindependentthinkingandallowstheyoungtonegotiatetheirrelationshipswiththeirpeers,butkidsages3to12spentonly12hoursaweekengagedinit.Thechildrensampledspentaquarteroftheirrapidlydecreasing“freetime”watchingtelevision.Butthat,believeitornot,wasoneofthefindingsparentsmightregardasgoodnews.Ifthey’respendinglesstimeinfrontoftheTVset,however,kidsaren’treplacingitwithreading.Despiteeffortstogetkidsmoreinterestedinbooks,thechildrenspentjustoveranhouraweekreading.Let’sfaceit,who’sgotthetime?21.Bymentioning“thesametimecrunch”(Line1,Para.2)SandraHofferthmeans________.A)childrenhavelittletimetoplaywiththeirparentsB)childrenarenottakengoodcareofbytheirworkingparentsC)bothparentsandchildrensufferfromlackofleisuretimeD)bothparentsandchildrenhavetroublemanagingtheirtime22.Accordingtotheauthor,thereasongivenbySandraHofferthforthetimecrunchis______.A)quiteconvincingB)partiallytrueC)totallygroundlessD)ratherconfusing23.Accordingtotheauthorachilddevelopsbetterif______.A)hehasplentyoftimereadingandstudyingB)heislefttoplaywithhispeersinhisownwayC)hehasmoretimeparticipatinginschoolactivitiesD)heisfreetointeractwithhisworkingparents224.TheauthorisconcernedaboutthefactthatAmericankids______.A)areengagedinmoreandmorestructuredactivitiesB)areincreasinglyneglectedbytheirworkingmothersC)arespendingmoreandmoretimewatchingTVD)areinvolvedlessandlessinhouseholdwork25.Wecaninferfromthepassagethat______.A)extracurricularactivitiespromotechildren’sintelligenceB)mostchildrenwillturntoreadingwithTVsetsswitchedoffC)effortstogetkidsinterestedinreadinghavebeenfruitfulD)mostparentsbelievereadingtobebeneficialtochildrenPassageTwoQuestions26to30arebasedonthefollowingpassage:HenryFord,thefamousU.S.inventorandcarmanufacturer,oncesaid,‘ThebusinessofAmericaisbusiness.”BythishemeantthattheU.S.wayoflifeisbasedonthevaluesofthebusinessworld.FewwouldarguewithFord’sstatement.AbriefglimpseatadailynewspapervividlyshowshowmuchpeopleintheUnitedStatesthinkaboutbusiness.Forexample,nearlyeverynewspaperhasabusinesssection,inwhichthedealsandprojects,financesandmanagement,stockpricesandlaborproblemsofcorporationsarereporteddaily.Inaddition,businessnewscanappearineveryothersection.Mostnationalnewshasanimportantfinancialaspecttoit.Welfare,foreignaid,thefederalbudget,andthepoliciesoftheFederalReserveBankareallheavilyaffectedbybusiness.Moreover,businessnewsappearsinsomeoftheunlikeliestplaces.Theworldofartsandentertainmentisoftenreferredtoas“theentertainmentindustry”or“showbusiness.”ThepositivesideofHenryFord’sstatementcanbeseenintheprosperitythatbusinesshasbroughttoU.S.life.OneofthemostimportantreasonssomanypeoplefromallovertheworldcometoliveintheUnitedStatesisthedreamofabetterjob.Jobsareproducedinabundance(大量地)becausetheU.S.economicsystemisdrivenbycompetition.Peoplebelievethatthissystemcreatesmorewealth,morejobs,andamateriallybetterwayoflife.ThenegativesideofHenryFord’sstatement,however,canbeseenwhenthewordbusinessistakentomeanbigbusiness.Andthetermbigbusiness—referringtothebiggestcompanies,isseeninoppositiontolabor.ThroughoutU.S.historyworkingpeoplehavehadtofighthardforhigherwages,betterworkingconditions,andtherighttoformunions.Today,manyoftheoldlabordisputesareover,butthereisstillsomeemployeeanxiety.Downsizing—thelayingoffofthousandsofworkerstokeepexpenseslowandprofitshigh--createsfeelingsofinsecurityformany.26.TheunitedStatesisatypicalcountry______.A)whichencouragesfreetradeathomesandabroadB)wherepeople’schiefconcernishowtomakemoneyC)whereallbusinessesaremanagedscientificallyD)whichnormallyworksaccordingtothefederalbudget327.TheinfluenceofbusinessintheU.S.isevidencedbythefactthat______.A)mostnewspapersarerunbybigbusinessesB)evenpublicorganizationsconcentrateonworkingforprofitsC)AmericansofallprofessionsknowhowtodobusinessD)evenartsandentertainmentareregardedasbusiness28.Accordingtothepassage,immigrantschoosetosettleintheU.S.,dreamingthat______.A)theycanstartprofitablebusinessesthereB)theycan